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“Friendly Fire” Claims Navy Jet

by AW1Ed••44


F/A-18 Super Hornet

Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent ‘friendly fire’ incident, US military says

By JON GAMBRELL

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the U.S military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries. But the shootdown underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become over the ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area.

The U.S. military had conducted airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the time, though the U.S. military’s Central Command did not elaborate on what their mission was and did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.

The F/A-18 shot down had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, Central Command said.

AP News

Thankfully both were swiftly rescued, one received minor injuries. The investigation will likely bear out this is the result of an event chain of cascading failures. The question will be how deep will it go? We have procedures and standards written in blood to prevent such incidents. In today’s Navy both are uncertain. Maintenance and training have suffered greatly on the alter of unending operations, at-sea billets go unmanned and DEI has destroyed confidence in leadership. It was just a matter of time for an incident like this to occur. Except it wasn’t the Houthis who brought down our bird.

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44 thoughts on ““Friendly Fire” Claims Navy Jet”

    2. Something else on the to-do list to MAGA is hold the flags to the same standards as the swabbies.
      If not to higher standards.

      In the world I’ve lived in, the higher up the chain you are, the more responsibility you bear when things go south.

    3. Even if the IFF was non- functional for whatever reason, shouldn’t the offending sailor(s) who pulled the trigger have received training to distinguish friendly silhouettes of aircraft from hostile ones? The only reasons I have for the guy(s) shooting down a friendly aircraft are sheer incompetence or intentional bullshit.

      1. I wonder what the Blue on Blue incident rate was during WW2? Before IFF (other than invasion stripes) when enemy and friendly silhouettes were thoroughly studied and tested on?
        This should not happen in 2024

    1. Friendly Fire isn’t.
    2. Who took the shot?
    3. What weapons system was used to down the aircraft.

  5. Taking out your own multi million $ aircraft is a pretty big “oops!”. There went a whole bunch of “attaboys” right into the drink.

    Missile Launch Ossifer on Gettysburg…”Musta been pilot error, no IFF detected.” Air Boss on Carl…”Damn Trigger Happy missileers on Gettysburg screwed up!” Big Navy…”It’s the “Fog of War”…nothing to see here. All parties involved will undergo additional training.”

  6. Regarding the pilots, isn’t there a rule that you’re only allowed three ejections per career per pilot—then you’re medically grounded?

    1. I’ve never heard of such, but maybe take the hint and find a new line of work after two?
      There was no limit on the number of times I could jump out and meet my new best friend.

  8. Someone(s) are about to have an unhappy Christmas and New Year. I’m very glad both crew were recovered in decent shape.

  9. I confess I haven’t been following the conflict in the Red Sea as much as I should.

    What is there to stop the US Navy for completely obliterating the Houthis out of existence? Why the restricted rules of engagement? Can we release the dogs on the Houthis?

  10. The rumor that AW1Ed pushed the big red button on what he thought was Tom Cruise in the danger zone has been put on ice, man.

  11. I really wanna see as on many platforms habitual line crosser’s take on this and/or angry cop.
    Both of those should be very entertaining

  12. Attention, the Houthis have one (1) such aircraft and in barely functional shape it might be, so please apply common sense. (Not saying it was Navy duck-hunters– I don’t know for sure– but I suspect Maverick would’ve identified it as an F/A-18.)

  15. What we need is another Admiral or two (with staffs, of course) to oversee whatever it is they were doing at the time.

      1. It’s much easier to attack a gazelle when it’s at the watering hole.

        Fucking lucky it didn’t take out the tanker.

  18. I am not military, so I am not qualified to comment.

    TWZ had an article stating the Gettysburg had successfully repelled attacks by cruise missiles and drones earlier in the day.
    The article further stated the F18 was is in the landing pattern when hit by an SM missile.
    Another plane (The refueling tanker?) was also targeted, but the attack was called off.
    I believe the missile itself can refuse to get to target if it identifies it as friendly. I may be wrong on this.

    It makes a little more sense that a ship under repeated attack may shoot at something suddenly popping up on its radar screen seemingly about to hit the ship.
    Rather than the way the story made it appear that a tanker lazily orbiting and refueling an aircraft would be targeted.

    1. Guys on the Gettysburg were jumpy. System probably rejected the engagement on the tanker aircraft and somebody actually stopped and checked before over-riding it to fire anyway. (Sloppy training– when stuff asks “Are you sure? Y/N” or so, there might be a reason, kids.) The one refueling wasn’t as lucky.

      “OMG, it’s comin’ right fer us!” (or the carrier the Gettysburg’s defending) seems to be the mindset. The F/A-18 probably took on enough fuel to make it back to the carrier then broke off to go do that, looking like a aircraft dropping an anti-ship missile (Exocet, anyone?) to the boys on the Gettysburg.

      Tanker and refueling aircraft were likely high, slow and squawking in an area they thought everyone knew was a refueling track. Pay attention when there’re friendlies out there, make sure before you engage. Remember what happens when we Ass/U/Me.

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